Review: I always have a soft spot for the Hollywood
movie musicals of the 30s and in this “movieland musical”, as written by
Michael Colby and musicalized by Paul Katz, those magic times come back to life
with a bunch of good songs and a perfect cast.

With inspiring orchestrations
(I just wish there was a bigger orchestra playing the songs) by Larry Hochman,
it begins with a proper “Overture”, something that is missing from many contemporary
musicals, and continues with Harriet Harris and company in funny mode with “The
Public Wants to Know”, followed by the talented Christina Bianco with a true 30s
style tune, “I Belong in Hollywood”. “Let’s Go” and “Keep in Step” could have
been written by the likes of Harry Warren.

“Musical Mélange” is the kind
of old fashion musical songs that I really enjoy. There’s also a bit of the
Nelson Eddy & Jeanette MacDonald operettas (“Someone to Love Me” or
“Hunchy”, both sung by Nat Chandler) and the Shirley Temple musicals (“Sounds
in the Night” sung by Christina Bianco). No one doubts that Klea Blackhurst can
sing and that she sounds just like Ethel Merman; here she shines with “I Can
Sing” and “For My Career”. The charming Tony Yazbeck gives his Gene Kelly
impersonation with “All Over the Place”. I confess that Alison Fraser’s big
number “Jungle Fever” isn’t the most inspiring song of the score, I prefer her
“Got to Be Good”. “It’s Mine” would be perfect for Judy Garland

The ballads “All I Dreamed”,
“So This is the Movies”, “I’ll Stand by You” and “Stars in My Eyes” sound out
of place with their more contemporary pop style, although I like the last two,
beautifully sung by Jake Epstein (“I’ll Stand by You”) and Christine Bianco
(“Stars in My Eyes”). The country styled “Born to Be Bad” may seem to belong
to another musical, but in fact it's an homage to the western musicals of Roy Rogers.

These small problems apart,
this in an enjoyable score that easily puts a smile on your face and a hum on
your lips. It takes us back to more innocent times, when musicals didn’t need
to have a message, they were just made to entertain and this TALES OF
TINSELTOWN does just that.